UMC Art Gallery joins campus Day of the Dead celebration
The UMC Art Gallery continued the on-campus celebration of the Day of the Dead holiday Friday with the opening of the Dia de los Muertos: Signs and Symbols exhibit.
The exhibit features work from Denver Chicano artists to celebrate Day of the Dead. It is running concurrently with the 2006 Crossing Borders: Day of the Dead exhibit, which features artwork from the Academy de San Carlos in Mexico.
Kris Anderson, the manager of the UMC Art Gallery, said that this exhibit offers a unique opportunity.
“It is a chance to come and see how important this event is to the Chicano (community) without having to travel anywhere,” he said. “You can see some incredible art for a holiday that’s gaining popularity.”
Anderson is also a master’s candidate for museum field studies at CU.
“Being a student myself, I’m interested in how galleries and museums can be a forum to people’s eyes. I don’t like the traditional concept of galleries being a place to simply display art. There needs to be a bigger meaning to it,” he said.
Anderson said that the gallery got involved in the Day of the Dead celebration as part of a larger collaboration with arts and culture week, which occurred earlier this semester.
Dulce Aldama, public programs coordinator for the CU Museum of Natural History and senior Spanish major, said the first year she came up with the idea to display art from the Day of the Dead there wasn’t a space to do so in the museum. The UMC Art Gallery is part of a collaboration where the art is able to be viewed longer term.
At the reception Friday, amidst light music and refreshments, Aldama encouraged students to seek out the gallery.
“It’s a way to learn more about Latinos and Chicanos. It fits well with the idea of diversity on campus and tolerance,” Aldama said. “It’s a very cool show.”
Matt Halliday, a senior advertising major, offered advice on art to view. “I like the simplicity of the ‘Death Takes My Grandmother’ piece.”
The exhibit will be open to the public until Nov. 10. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. The gallery is located on the second floor of the UMC in UMC 225, which is close to the reception desk on the second floor.
